Without justice, the most heinous crimes go unpunished; victims

Hear the words of Federica Mogherini, spoken with the gravity of one who has seen nations torn and peoples wounded: “Without justice, the most heinous crimes go unpunished; victims are unable to obtain redress, and peace remains an elusive goal, since impunity generates more hatred, leading to acts of revenge and more suffering.” In this declaration, she unveils the eternal chain between justice and peace. For peace is not simply the silence of weapons; it is the quiet of a heart that has been healed by fairness. Where justice is absent, the silence of peace cannot endure, for bitterness festers and revenge rises like smoke from smoldering ashes.

The meaning is sharp and enduring. To leave crimes unpunished is to tear at the very fabric of society. The victims, already burdened with loss, are denied dignity and repair. Their wounds remain open, not only in their bodies but in their souls. Worse still, the absence of justice gives birth to impunity—a culture where the wrongdoer believes they are above accountability, where power shields cruelty. This breeds hatred, and hatred, left unchecked, becomes the seed of future conflict. Thus, Mogherini teaches that peace cannot live where justice is denied.

The origin of this truth is as old as human civilization. From the ancient codes of Hammurabi to the trials of Nuremberg, mankind has understood that to preserve harmony, wrongs must be acknowledged and wrongdoers must be held accountable. After the horrors of World War II, the Allies gathered not only to end the war but to pursue justice through the Nuremberg Trials, holding the architects of atrocity responsible. They knew that without this reckoning, the world could not move forward; peace would forever remain stained by vengeance and suspicion.

History also warns us of the opposite path. Consider the fate of nations where crimes were left unanswered, where tyrants fell but their deeds were never reckoned with. In such lands, cycles of revenge repeated, with one regime punishing the crimes of the last, only to commit new crimes themselves. South Africa, by contrast, chose a path of truth and reconciliation under Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Though imperfect, their effort to balance justice with forgiveness showed that only by addressing wrongs openly could a nation hope to break the cycle of vengeance.

O children of tomorrow, take this teaching deeply into your hearts: justice is the guardian of peace. Without it, any calm you see is fragile, a pause before the storm. True peace is not imposed by force, nor purchased by silence. It is forged when the oppressed are heard, when the guilty are held accountable, and when the dignity of every soul is honored. Without this, society becomes a field of hidden fires, waiting only for the wind to turn them into flame.

Reflect also upon your own life. When wrong is done to you, do you seek justice or do you nurture the fire of revenge? When you wrong others, do you seek forgiveness or do you hide behind excuses? These same patterns that shape nations also shape the soul. To ignore justice in small matters breeds bitterness in families and communities, just as it does in nations.

The lesson is clear: pursue justice, for it is the foundation of healing. Speak for the victim, protect the vulnerable, and do not allow impunity to poison the bonds of trust among you. When you wield power, do so with fairness. When you are wronged, let justice, not vengeance, be your guide. In this way, you guard peace not only in your own life but in the world around you.

So let Mogherini’s words be carried across generations: “Without justice, peace remains an elusive goal.” For justice is the lamp that lights the path to reconciliation, and peace is the harvest that blooms when truth is faced, wrongs are answered, and every soul can rest knowing the world has not forgotten their suffering. Only then shall peace endure, not as a shadow, but as a living light.